The Feminist Bookworm

I am so excited to be working with Penguin Random House Canada for the blog tour of The Grey Sisters by Jo Treggiari! The Grey Sisters is a psychological YA thriller (perfect for fans of Sadie and The Cheerleaders ) about two friends, D and Spider, who return to the scene of a deadly plane crash that took the life of D's sister, after D comes across a photograph that makes her believe her sister is somehow still alive. I got to do a Q&A with Jo about The Grey Sisters , her writing process, and how much fun it is working at a bookstore! 1. How would you pitch The Grey Sisters using only pop culture references? Little Women meets Deliverance . 2. What was the inspiration behind The Grey Sisters ? I was on a road trip with two friends and we were out in the middle of nowhere. It really began to feel as if the trees and mountains were encroaching on us. I made a joke about ‘how would we know if someone was watching our every move?’ and just like that, boom! Plus I...

**A version of this review will appear in the Fall 2019 print edition of the Cornell Book Review.** Remember how I said I'd bet money on the fact that Red, White & Royal Blue would be my favorite book of 2019? Well... it's still my favorite novel (key word :/) of the year! And to be fair, this book wasn't even announced until about 3 weeks before publication!  Anyways... Chanel Miller's Know My Name is now my favorite book of the year. It may not have been as "enjoyable" as RWRB, but it is unquestionably the best book I've read all year.  “You don’t know me, but you’ve been inside me, and that’s why we’re here,” writes the woman then known only as Emily Doe in her victim impact statement that was read around the world and even on the floor of congress. The woman, who had been sexually assaulted by then-Stanford swimmer Brock Turner, reveals her identity in her new memoir, Know My Name : Chanel Miller. Miller herself is not just a victim....

**This post is sponsored by Glasstown Entertainment for the release of Crier's War by Nina Varela** Crier's War is described (and I would very much agree!) as an "o wn voices, richly imagined epic fantasy duology about an impossible love between two girls - one human, one Made - whose romance could be the beginning of a revolution." I had the opportunity to interview Nina about Crier's War, and I'm so excited to share it with you all!  How would you pitch/describe Crier’s War using only pop culture references (ex: Gilmore Girls meets Pretty Little Liars )?  THE HANDMAIDEN meets THE IRON GIANT. Just kidding. Maybe THE HANDMAIDEN meets WESTWORLD? CRIER’S WAR lives at the intersection of WALL-E and every Hayley Kiyoko music video.  In addition to being a novelist, you are also a screenwriter! Has your experience writing scripts influenced the format of your novels? It’s definitely helped me with plotting. Screenwriting is all about stru...